Fresh water sport fishing has grown immensely in sophistication and popularity. The sporting pursuit of gamefish has become a profession to many and an extensive hobby with a large portion of the populace. These gamefish tend to concentrate around cover in the water, and often the thicker the cover, more and larger gamefish. Cover is considered to be any of a variety of things, either natural or manmade, in the water which serve to hide or protect the fish in their aquatic environs. One of the thickest forms of cover is grass particularly in more southern parts of the country. Many species of grass exist in natural and manmade lakes, and the grass in many cases can become so thick as to make navigation difficult or impossible.
Because underwater grass is such an excellent cover for fish that anglers often seek to enter even the thickest grass bed in pursuit of trophy gamefish.
An essential accessory on most sport fishing boats is a small, electric motor which is used to maneuver the boat during the fishing. These motors are commonly referred to as trolling motors to distinguish them from the combustion engines which are the primary power for the boat. Trolling motors are quiet and efficient, typically operated by batteries in the boat, and are far more effective during fishing than the larger and powerful combustion engines which are usually used for travel over greater distances. Such electric trolling motors are often mounted on the bow of the boat for use, and steered either by hand or by foot. Indeed, such trolling motors may be used by the fisherman without stopping his fishing or without taking his line out of the water.
Indeed, such electric trolling motors are frequently the only type of motors permitted on numerous small fishing lakes, as these motors permit the boat to travel around the lake, but with almost no wake or noise.
One of the disadvantages of electric trolling motors, however, is the fact that the propellers can be quickly tangled with underwater growth, including grasses, to the point where the motor does not have enough power to turn propellers or the trolling motor seizes and is ruined. This is a particularly problem in lakes where grass grows thickly year round. In order for an electric trolling motor to operate efficiently, it must have a continuous flow of water. The thick grass cover blocks this flow, thereby preventing the motor from functioning properly or efficiently.
When the disruptions or failures occur to the electric trolling motor during the sport of game fishing valuable contest time limits are lost in trying to rectify the trolling motor issues. There are additional personal safety and property damage concerns when a sport game fishing boat is rendered powerless in wake or choppy water conditions.
Thus, there is a need for an improved cutter assembly for a motor propeller that can be easily manufactured, assembled, and effectively used to increase sport game fishing safety and enjoyment.
An objective of an embodiment of the cutter assembly for a motor propeller is to provide protection for an electric trolling motor that works in any electric trolling motor direction.
Yet another objective of an embodiment of the cutter assembly for a motor propeller is to provide protection for an electric trolling motor that draws grass towards the cutting assembly.
Another objective of an embodiment of the cutter assembly for a motor propeller is to provide protection for an electric trolling motor which includes improved cutting blade orientation with respect to the propulsive effects of an electric trolling motor propeller.
A further objective of an embodiment of the cutter assembly for a motor propeller is to provide protection for an electric trolling motor that allows maneuvering through thick vegetative underwater cover.
Yet a further objective of an embodiment of the cutter assembly for a motor propeller is to provide protection for an electric trolling motor that can be quickly adapted to existing electric trolling motors, and quickly removed from the same for maintenance or when a trolling motor is not needed.
Another objective of an embodiment of the cutter assembly for a motor propeller is to provide protection for an electric trolling motor which includes quick release cutting blades.